The latest reveals that in the first half of 2024, global trade growth was driven by increased exports from China, India, and the US, while Europe stagnated and Africa declined.
UNCTAD
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) faced a 2% decrease in 2023, with a deeper decline exceeding 10% for the second consecutive year, driven by trade tensions and economic slowdowns.
Celebrations of the culminate in the from 12 to 14 June. The event unites world leaders to catalyze new development thinking and actions needed to advance prosperity for all in an increasingly diverse and challenging global economy. For six decades, has stood as a staunch advocate for developing countries, providing crucial support through cutting-edge , , and consensus-building.
UN has sounded an , stressing the critical need for immediate action to alleviate its impact on developing nations and foster progress towards sustainable development goals.
UN Global supply chain forum 2024
The inaugural , hosted by and Barbados convened over 1,000 participants to address escalating disruptions in global supply chains.
The surge in demand for critical energy transition minerals amid the climate emergency underscores the urgent need for sustainable practices and global collaboration to address commodity dependence and achieve net-zero emission targets by 2030.
Despite record levels in 2022, the $4 billion drop in for developing countries underscores a critical gap in meeting targets, particularly affecting the world's least developed nations.
Climate change-induced cocoa price hikes are affecting chocolate lovers globally, highlighting the urgent need for climate action.
UNCTAD's emphasizes the resilience of international trade amid challenges, projecting growth opportunities and a rebound in 2024, especially in sectors like transportation equipment and electric vehicles.
Remittances, totaling over $830 billion globally, serve as a lifeline for countless families in developing nations, making substantial contributions to poverty alleviation. These funds have a direct and positive impact on household incomes, empowering recipients to fulfill basic necessities like food, shelter, and healthcare. By easing financial burdens and enhancing living standards, remittances play a pivotal role in lifting families out of poverty and building economic resilience within communities. The importance of remittances in developing countries is underscored by 's economist Bruno Antunes, as highlighted in the .
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development () is calling for more awareness raising and regulatory frameworks to ensure AI benefits everyone. While AI holds promise for personalizing products and services and optimizing customer support, there are concerns over fair, responsible and ethical use of AI. Currently, global tech giants control most of the data flows and revenues from digital services, posing a threat to fair competition and aggravating existing technology divides. Public policies need to guide innovation and the design of AI to mitigate human biases and ensure that AI-powered goods and services reach vulnerable populations.
and introduce a unveiling trends and health implications of processed food trade, crucial for promoting nutritious diets and enhancing food security worldwide.
Mali's pharmaceutical registry digitization effort aims to reduce the approval time for vital medicines and vaccines from 18 to three months, revolutionizing the country's healthcare system.
has called for urgent reforms to the global debt architecture in response to the alarming increase in developing countries' external sovereign debt.
UNCTAD has raised profound concerns over escalating disruptions to global trade, citing recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea, geopolitical tensions impacting shipping in the Black Sea, and the effects of climate change on the Panama Canal.